Title 46ShippingRelease 119-73

§11304 Additional logbook and entry requirements

Title 46 › Subtitle Subtitle II— - Vessels and Seamen › Part Part G— - Merchant Seamen Protection and Relief › Chapter CHAPTER 113— - OFFICIAL LOGBOOKS › § 11304

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

U.S. inspected vessels must keep a logbook (paper or electronic), except when on a trip from a U.S. port to Canada. It must be shown to the Secretary on request and must record watch changes, each crew member’s hours, and any seaman’s illness or injury and the treatment given.

Full Legal Text

Title 46, §11304

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(a)A vessel of the United States that is subject to inspection under section 3301 of this title, except a vessel on a voyage from a port in the United States to a port in Canada, shall have a logbook, which may be in any form, including electronic, and shall be kept available for review by the Secretary on request.
(b)The logbook required by subsection (a) shall include the following entries:
(1)The time when each seaman and each officer assumed or relieved the watch.
(2)The number of hours in service to the vessels of each seaman and each officer.
(3)Each illness of, and injury to, a seaman of the vessel, the nature of the illness or injury, and the medical treatment provided for the injury or illness.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2018—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 115–282, § 511(a)(1), substituted “a logbook, which may be in any form, including electronic, and” for “an official logbook, which”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 115–282, § 511(b), which directed amendment of section 11304(b), without specifying the title to be amended, by substituting “logbook” for “log book”, was executed to this section in the introductory provisions of subsec. (b), to reflect the probable intent of Congress. Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 115–282, § 511(a)(2), amended par. (3) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (3) read as follows: “An account of each accident, illness, and injury that occurs during each watch.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

46 U.S.C. § 11304

Title 46Shipping

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73